Betty Maxey illustrations (Famous Five)

Enid used many illustrators in her books. Discuss them here.
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Re: Betty Maxey illustrations (Famous Five)

Post by pete9012S »

Here's a list of all the links to the books scanned in one place;

1.Five On A Treasure Island -with thanks to Mr Tony Summerfield (after the Soper pics)
http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/book ... ustrations" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

2.Five Go Adventuring Again - Betty Maxey Illustrations (1974)

https://imgur.com/a/EEgMnzi" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://share.pho.to/9pyfn" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

3.Five Run Away Together - Betty Maxey Illustrations (1974)
http://imgur.com/a/lhsaa" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

4. Five Go To Smugglers Top - Betty Maxey Illustrations (1974)..
http://imgur.com/a/W7HkC" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

5.Five Go Off In A Caravan - Betty Maxey Illustrations (1974)..
http://share.pho.to/A1I2I" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://pdfsr.com/pdf/05.five-go-off-in-a-caravan" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

06.Five On Kirrin Island Again - Betty Maxey Illustrations (1974)
http://imgur.com/a/KPIKQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

7. Five Go Off to Camp - Betty Maxey Illustrations (1974)
http://imgur.com/a/fTzuT" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


8. Five Get Into Trouble - Betty Maxey Illustrations (1968)..
http://share.pho.to/A1I7H" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

9.Fall Into Adventure - Betty Maxey Illustrations (1968)
https://imgur.com/a/3kLyZ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



10.Five On A Hike Together - Betty Maxey Illustrations (1968)..
http://share.pho.to/A1ILl" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

11. Five Have A Wonderful Time - Betty Maxey Illustrations (1968) P
http://share.pho.to/AbZv6" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

12.Five Go Down To The Sea - Betty Maxey Illustrations (1974)
http://share.pho.to/4sg6S" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

13. Five Go To Mystery Moor - Betty Maxey Illustrations (1974)
https://imgur.com/a/mx2TE37" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

14. Five Have Plenty Of Fun - Betty Maxey illustrations (1974) p
https://imgur.com/a/cNt68" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

15. Five On A Secret Trail - Betty Maxey Illustrations
https://imgur.com/a/THxAXG1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

16. Five Go To Billycock Hill - Betty Maxey Illustrations (1974)..
http://share.pho.to/A1IBN" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

17.Five Get Into A Fix - Betty Maxey Illustrations (1974)
https://imgur.com/a/ovvqOvJ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

18. Five On Finniston Farm - Betty Maxey Illustrations (1974)
http://imgur.com/a/vhtwa" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

19. Five Go to Demon's Rocks - Betty Maxey Illustrations (1974) P

http://share.pho.to/9qCBZ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

20. Five Have a Mystery to Solve - Betty Maxey Illustrations (1974)
https://imgur.com/a/mH5Lx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

21. Five Are Together Again- Betty Maxey Illustrations
https://imgur.com/a/ib3PBp7" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

More will be added as we go along.
(.. indicates permanent file)


Background Info - Betty Maxey

http://share.pho.to/9qI53" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Last edited by pete9012S on 31 May 2020, 22:09, edited 42 times in total.
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Re: Betty Maxey illustrations (Famous Five)

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Good stuff, Escanor, and it's interesting to see the text in Greek. Betty Maxey's drawings are sketchy as we've said before, but she is great at depicting cosy kitchens and scenes of tension. I love it when she shows the four children all looking alert and watchful - there's a real feeling of suspense and we feel the connection between them. As for Timmy, she's got him spot on.

In the 7th picture (with Anne looking through the field-glasses), what has Julian got in his hair? It looks like a roller!
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Re: Betty Maxey illustrations (Famous Five)

Post by Tony Summerfield »

I have added the first one to the further illustrations in the Cave and if people think it is worthwhile I will work on and add the rest.

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/book ... ustrations" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I have now got two illustrations to choose from as I have just scanned the same illustration on my own scanner and I think that I probably prefer it.
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Re: Betty Maxey illustrations (Famous Five)

Post by Escanor »

Anita Bensoussane wrote:Good stuff, Escanor, and it's interesting to see the text in Greek. Betty Maxey's drawings are sketchy as we've said before, but she is great at depicting cosy kitchens and scenes of tension. I love it when she shows the four children all looking alert and watchful - there's a real feeling of suspense and we feel the connection between them. As for Timmy, she's got him spot on.
Thank you! I always loved her style, but then again she's the only illustrator I had in my books. You're right, I particularly like the 9th picture, where Anne wakes up in the middle of the night from one of those rumblings.
Anita Bensoussane wrote:In the 7th picture (with Anne looking through the field-glasses), what has Julian got in his hair? It looks like a roller!
Hahaha, it never seemed odd to me until now!
pete9012S wrote:That's great.Maybe we could do all the books. :D

I have never seen the Betty Maxey illustrations for Five Go Adventuring Again and also Five Go To Demon's Rocks.Do you have those at all?
The first five books have very few illustrations I'm afraid...

Unfortunately, that's all I have from Five Go Adventuring Again:
http://oi59.tinypic.com/2cqxj7n.jpg
http://oi60.tinypic.com/msbuh4.jpg

I'll try to spend more time with this project. Demon's Rocks is next! :)
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Re: Betty Maxey illustrations (Famous Five)

Post by pete9012S »

That's great about Demon's rocks,thank you.

If you're not a fan of Betty's and prefer the originals,look away now.

Here's a comparison of some of the pics that match...



Image



Image


Image



Image
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Re: Betty Maxey illustrations (Famous Five)

Post by yarvelling »

Very interesting to see those Betty Maxey illustrations; thanks for posting them Escanor! :)
However, they don't do it for me.... the Eileen Soper originals are far better! The characters fit the descriptions given in the text, Timmy looks exactly how he's described, to me - The Maxey ones don't come close, in my opinion! ;) Obviously, the styles of clothing are more faithful to the text with the Soper versions, and I find her drawings to be more 'animated'; small details and flourishes make the characters appear more 'alive', and the scenery detailing is always gorgeous! :)
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Re: Betty Maxey illustrations (Famous Five)

Post by Moonraker »

the Eileen Soper originals are far better!
Oh, most definitely. Thanks for providing links to the illustrations, Escanor - always interesting to compare illustrator, but for me it has to be Soper.
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Re: Betty Maxey illustrations (Famous Five)

Post by Escanor »

Tony Summerfield wrote:I have added the first one to the further illustrations in the Cave and if people think it is worthwhile I will work on and add the rest.

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/book ... ustrations" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I have now got two illustrations to choose from as I have just scanned the same illustration on my own scanner and I think that I probably prefer it.
I'm sorry, I didn't see your post the first time. I prefer yours too.
I use a camera and it's hard to get a good picture without hurting the book... I'll try my best on the next pics I take. If you want a better picture from those I took already, please tell me.
yarvelling wrote:Very interesting to see those Betty Maxey illustrations; thanks for posting them Escanor! :)
However, they don't do it for me.... the Eileen Soper originals are far better! The characters fit the descriptions given in the text, Timmy looks exactly how he's described, to me - The Maxey ones don't come close, in my opinion! ;) Obviously, the styles of clothing are more faithful to the text with the Soper versions, and I find her drawings to be more 'animated'; small details and flourishes make the characters appear more 'alive', and the scenery detailing is always gorgeous! :)
Moonraker wrote:
the Eileen Soper originals are far better!
Oh, most definitely. Thanks for providing links to the illustrations, Escanor - always interesting to compare illustrator, but for me it has to be Soper.
No problem fellas. :wink:
I still prefer Maxey though, probably because I don't know better. :P Soper's illustrations definately have more detail, but I think Maxey captures emotion better. For example, in this pic they look like they smile yet Anne at least is supposed to be a bit scared.
Image

And I like Maxey's version of Timmy a lot more. 8)
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Re: Betty Maxey illustrations (Famous Five)

Post by Poppy »

Those are wonderful, Escanor! Great to see the two illustrators drawings compared so closely.
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Re: Betty Maxey illustrations (Famous Five)

Post by pete9012S »

Tony Summerfield wrote: if people think it is worthwhile I will work on and add the rest.
That would great thanks Tony.It is my dream that one day the cave will contain all the Famous Five illustrations of both Eileen Soper and Betty Maxwell.
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Re: Betty Maxey illustrations (Famous Five)

Post by Tony Summerfield »

I need to get a new scanner first, Pete, my current one is on its last legs. Also I haven't by any means got them all as hardbacks and as Escanor said it is difficult to scan a paperback without wrecking it!
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Re: Betty Maxey illustrations (Famous Five)

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Thanks for the side by side illustrations, Pete. In most cases I like Eileen Soper's atmospheric drawings better, but there are exceptions. Concerning Timmy offering his paw to the old woman, I prefer Betty Maxey's picture because the tiled kitchen with its stove, pots and pans and plant looks so welcoming, and the focus on Timmy and the old woman gives the scene a certain intimacy.

In the first illustration showing the phone call, I also favour Betty Maxey's very feminine portrayal of the children's mother - she has an appealing elegance about her.
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Re: Betty Maxey illustrations (Famous Five)

Post by Courtenay »

I grew up with both the Soper and Maxey illustrations - depending on which edition of each book happened to be in my family's entirely second hand collection! - and so I find I like them both. I agree that Soper's style is more beautiful and atmospheric (I do prefer her overall), but Maxey is very good at close-ups and capturing emotion. I'm glad we have both to choose from! :D

As for Timmy, to me both illustrators' ideas of him (while very different) are equally gorgeous and full of character - I would love to have either version of him as my own dog! :mrgreen:
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Re: Betty Maxey illustrations (Famous Five)

Post by Carlotta King »

I grew up reading mostly 1987 Knight Famous Five books, with Betty Maxey illustrations, because that was what was around at the time. (How lovely it was to go into the local bookshop with my parents and see if there was one there I hadn't yet got!!)

So I was used to Betty's pictures and they are the ones that remind me of my childhood reading and joyful collecting of the FF series. As I got older I acquired some of Eileen Soper's versions and also two or three Jolyne Knox ones too. I must admit that my favourite is definitely Eileen Soper because her illustrations are proper period illustrations, and while I do think that Betty is a good artist, and I like her pictures, I just was never keen on the 80s clothes - I wish she had drawn them in the right period rather than in modern times.

Still - seeing the 80s covers on my bookshelf does bring back nice memories! :)
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